Improvement in rotary engines



SYLVESTER A. VOOD AND AUGUST DUMKE, OF MANITOWOG, WIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN ROTARY ENGINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 44,2417, dated September 13, 1364.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that we, SYLvEs'rER A. Woon and AUGUST F. DUMKE, of the village of Manitowoc, in the county of Manitowoc and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Improved Rotary Steam-Engine 5 and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, czear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this speeication, inwhich- Figure 1 is an outside view of the cover or case of that end ofthe engine to which steam is communicated through the main steam-pipe I. Fig. 2 is an outside view ofthe cover or case of the opposite end 'of the engine, showing the cog-wheels E and F, which open and shut the revolving cut-oft' valves in the main steampipes, as at m in Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section on the line 1 1, Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section on the line 2 2, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 represents a side and vertical view of the revolving cut-oft' valves situated in the main steampipes, and worked by the cog-wheels E and F, Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a segment of a circular rim, K, attached to the reversing-valves c c c, Figs. 3 and 4, by the bolts i' 1', which rim is worked backward and forward by the lever L, and the oblong holes therein are to allow it to slip over the boltheads s, Fig. 3, and the revolving valve-shafts d, Figs. 3 and 4. Fig. 7 is a stationary camgroove plate bolted to the'stationary cylinder (or to the outside case) of the engine, as shown at 6 6, Fig. 3, the cam-groove in which plate is represented by the dotted lines on the revolving cylinder B, Fig. 4. Only one camgroove plate is shown in the drawings and model, but as engines of large capacity will require two, in order to prevent the pistons from, tipping and binding, it is intended to use two cam-groove plates instead of one in all cases where they shall become necessary, one to be placed on each side of the revolving cylinder.

The revolving cylinder B, Fig. 4, is securely fastened to the main shaft D, and has four sliding pistons, b b b b, Figs. 3 and 4, which are moved outward and inward by the pins t' in said pistons, working in the groove. (Shownin the cam-groove plate, Figs. 3 and 7.)

The revolving cylinder B is surrounded by vthe stationary cylinder C, and is divided into three crescent-shaped compartments or steamchambers, c a a, Fig. 4, the partitions or abutments between which compartments touch the revolving cylinder B, and work steamtight on the outer circumference of the revolving cylinder by means of thel spring-packing w w w in said abutments, Figs. 3 and 4.

Steam is admitted in three places through the main steam-pipe I, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, in the direction otl the arrows, Fig. 3, and passes into the small steam-pipes e e c, Figs. 3 and 4, and is conducted to the reversing'- valves c c c, Figs. 3 and 4, situated over the abutments separating the steam-chambers, which reve: sing-valves are movable backward and forward by means of being attached to the circular rim K at r 1', Fig. 6, by working the lever L, which rim is situated between the stationary cylinder O and the outside casing or cover, A, Figs. 3 and 4. The steam then enters the steam-chambers through the openings ffj', Fig. 4, in the direction ot' the arrows when the revolving cylinder is turning to the right, just at the point where the sliding pistons b I) b b, Figs. 3 and 4, touch those parts of the tops of the steamchambers,which are concentric with the revolving cylinder B, Fig. 4, at which time the pressure ot' the steam against the sliding pistons b Z) b b forces them forward, and thus turns the revolving cylinder B, the steam acting with full force on two of the sliding pistons at the same time. The steam is cut oli' by the revolving valves m m, Figs. 3 and 5, a little before the point where the sliding pistons cease to be in contact with those portions of the tops of the steam-chambers which are concentric'with the revolving `cylinder B, from which point the pistons are pushed forward a short distance by the expansion of steam until it exhausts at g g g, Figs. 3 and 4, through the circular holes iu the center of the reversing-valves c c c, Fig. 4, into the c-hamber h h, and passes out through the exhaustpipe H, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4.

Then it is required to turn the revolving cylinder to the right, as above described, the right ends of the small steam-pipes c c e are closed by the reversing-valves c c c, and lhe steam enters the steam-chambers at the left ends of said small steam-pipes e c e, and when it is required to reverse the engine or revolving cylinder all that is necessary tobe done is to push the lever L attached to the circular rim K, Figs. 3 and 6, to the right, thus closi ing the left ends of the small steam-pipes e e c by sliding the reversing-valves c c c, which are fastened to said rim, over them and opening the right ends of the small steam-pipes e e e and admitting the steam on the right sides of the sliding pistons, the pressure ot' which against said pistons turns the revolving cylinder to the left, the steam exhausting at j'ff instead of at g g g, as when turned to the right.

The letters 7s lr, Figs. 2 and 3, represent straps or supports for the set-screws 3 3 3, Fi gs.2 and 3, which set-screws are against the ends of the revolving valve-shafts d d, Figs. 3 and 4, and are used to relieve the'revolving valve from the pressure ofsteam against them, thus avoiding a large amount of friction which would otherwise be created by their pressing on the cover A.

In Fig. 3, o o are stuffing-boxes around the revolving valve-shafts d d, Figs. 3 and 4.

n n are main shaft-boxes.

4 4 4, Fig. 7, are sliding plates let into the cam-groove plate represented bysaid Fig. 7, which are pressed outward a very short dis tance into the cam-groove by the springs 5 5 5, Fig. 7, and when the revolving cylinder is in motion the pinsi i i t', in the pistons b b b b, coming in contact with the edges of the plates 4 4 4, cause the pistons to be pressed steamtight against the tops of the steam-chambers and to be held there until the pins pass by the edges of the plates 4 4 4, when the pistons are relieved from the pressure and friction created by the force of the springs 5 5 5.

w w w, Figs. 3 and 4, show the manner of packing the abutments between the steamchambers. This is a metallic packing, and is a little longer than the width ot' the steamchambers, so as to rest on the outer circumference of the revolving cylinder, and thus prevented from being pressed into the holes through which the sliding pistons work. The surface of these packings resting on the revolvingcylinder is of the same circle as the cylinder, and being pressed slightly against it by springs, as at w, Fig. 3, effectually stop thc steam without causing much friction. The

t surfaces of the outer ends of the sliding pistons are on the same circle of the tops of the steam-chambers and fit against them steamtight, and are prevented from being pressed inward by the springs on the ends of the sliding plates 4 4 4, Fig. 7, which, w hile they stop the steam, do not press with sufcient force to cause much friction. revolving cylinder B and the stationary cylinder C is packed by a metallic spring-ring packing, as shown at 8 8 8 8, Fig. 3. This packing will effectually stop the steam, and at the same time allow the joint between the two cylinders to be sufliciently open to avoid all friction whatever of the edges of the two cylinders against each other.

The joint between the The letter X, in Figs. 1, 2, and 4, represents the engine-bed, which may be constructed in any style to suit the tastes of the builders.

To avoid friction as much as possible the pins in the sliding pistons have movable heads of an elongated shape-thus, which heads fit nicely into the cam-groove, and, by turning on the center, are adjusted to the different curves of the cam-groove and pass along through it with much less friction than it' the mainbody of the pins themselves worked in the groove.

Instead of the pin-heads above described, rollers may be put on the pins to run in the groove, but it is believed by us that the elongated and movable pin-heads are preferable to rollers, as less liable to get out of order from wear, and at the same time quite as free from friction as the rollers.

Having thus fully described our invention,

what we claim therein as new, a-nd desire to secure by Letters Patent, is p 1. The use of the sliding piston in the revolving cylinder B, in combination with the steam-chambers in the 'stationary cylinder C, and the ports for the introduction ot' steam at the different points communicating with all the steam-chambers, by the arrangement and combination of which the full surfaces of two pistons are constantly exposed to the pressure of active steam, thereby securing, at a given pressure ot' steam, a uniform power and velocity to the revolving cylinder throughout its entire revolution, substantially as herein represented and described.

2. The self-expanding,lap-pointed metallic rings 8 8 8 8, in combination with the rabbets and grooves in the revolving cylinder and the rabbets in the stationary cylinder for packing the joints between the revolving and stationary cylinders, substantially. in the manner and for the purpose herein shown and set forth.

3. The sliding plates 4 4 4, in combination with the springs 5 5 5, attached in the camgroove plates, substantially as and for the purpose herein shown and described.

4. The whole arrangement for reversing the engine by combination of the circular rim K, the valves c c c, the lever L, and the steampipes e e e, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein represented and described.

5. The revolving eut-oft' valves m with the set-screw 3 at the -ends of the valve-shafts d d d, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein shown and described.

Dated' at Manitowoc, Wisconsin, this 1st day of June, A. D. 1864.

SYLVESTER A. WOOD. AUGUST F. DUMKE.

Witnesses:

F. BECKER, JOHN S'rUHLE. 

